FIT FOR THE RIVER RUN
The Elizabeth River Fit for the River Run training program is modeled after the Lilac Bloomsday 12-Kilometer run in Spokane Washington, a race that annually attracts about 60,000 runners, 10,000 of whom are children. The Fit for Bloomsday committee has developed a number of training tips for participants, and through their courtesy many of these are presented here in their original or slightly modified form. Although these tips have been developed primarily for children, many are applicable to adult runners as well.
TRAINING TIP # 1 - TRAFFIC SAFETY
Safety First! Whenever you train, always be sure to look for cars, trucks, traffic lights, and always look twice before crossing busy streets. You should always be sure of traffic. The best runners, the ones who properly observe traffic, are what we call “Street Smart.”
You, too, can be a “Street Smart” runner by taking these precautions. Here are some safety tips. These should be used when training with your Fit for the River Run friends or team and also for weekend or supplemental runs.
1. Cross streets at the corner or use proper road crossings. If no crossings are available, wait for traffic to pass before you cross the street. Always stop, look, and listen before stepping into the street.
2. Run on sidewalks or as far off the road as possible, facing traffic.
3. Never run alone.
4. Always stay alert. Watch for cars, bikes, people, and dogs. Be extra careful when approaching non-moving cars or trucks, especially when you hear their motors running. They may be about to move.
5. Be sure to thank drivers and others who wait for you to cross busy streets. Say thank you or give a friendly wave.
6. Report all injuries and dangerous situations to your coach or training instructor to help keep you healthy and safe. If you are tired, be especially aware of traffic, be patient, be "Street Smart."
TRAINING TIP # 2 - WHAT IS TRAINING?
If you buy a new bicycle, it doesn't stay new for long. In a day or two, you may scratch the fender. A few days later, one of the spokes may get bent. The more you use it, the more worn out it gets.
Your body, though, is NOT like a bicycle. In many ways, the opposite is true. If you don't use it, it gets worn out. Your muscles (and heart) get weaker and your endurance slips. Pretty soon your body is flabby.
YOU CAN CHANGE THIS THOUGH TRAINING. Training is simply a way of improving fitness by being active. If you make your body do something hasn’t done before (like running twice around the track without stopping), you’ll feel tired. But your body won’t be getting worn out! In a day or two you’ll be stronger, better able to run that distance next time. If you can keep gradually increasing the distance you run, you’ll be amazed at how your endurance will improve. Training is just a way of teaching our body to do things it hasn’t done before.
Just Do It! The purpose of the Fit for the River Run program is to help get you started running. Most people (adults and kids) like running with a group rather than alone. Having someone help teach you about running or walking and having others that want to get in shape with you will help you enjoy running more. It doesn't do much good, though, to run one day then wait two weeks before you run again. Your body will only get stronger by consistent training. Three or four times a week is excellent. Plan a program and stick to it! Here are some tips on walking, jogging and running, although jogging is, in actually, simply slower running.
Walking has grown in its fitness and recreational value in the past decade. It's a great way to get started on the road to fitness and good health. Some of the best runners started their careers by walking.
Several champion Kenyan runners used to walk several miles from their home to school. The value of walking at a training speed are numerous. Walking builds your leg muscles. It prepares your heart for larger periods of exercise. You can also increase your fitness by walking at a fast pace for at least 5‑15 minutes 3‑ 4 days a week. If you keep training by walking, you'll soon feel better, and some day you may find that jogging or running may seem easier, or you'll just walk faster and faster.
Today, thousands of people walk marathons to raise money for charities for children, such as the Team in Training for the Leukemia Society. Many times walkers evolve into joggers and runners. So, try these suggestions and start training with those joggers and runners. If you plan to walk the entire 10 kilometers, then you will have to walk at a pace faster than 4 miles per hour.
Jogging is running at a slow pace. You want to jog fast enough to get a good workout, yet slow enough so that you are able to talk with a training friend without losing your breath. This is called the "talk test". This may be the best way to train for the River Run.
1. When jogging, your wrists should swing slightly upward across your body from the hip. Your elbows should bend naturally. (Hint.‑ the faster your arms move, the faster you move).
2. Run with your hands relaxed, not in a tight fist. Pretend you're running with a small egg between your forefingers.
3. Relax. Think of your body as a feather floating in the wind while you jog. This will help your body in the natural rhythm of jogging.
4. Breathe deeply while jogging. Breathe from the bottom of your tummy. Breathe out through your mouth and nose.
5. Jog with your head and chest forward. Slightly "lean into the run."
6. Have fun jogging!
Your body is like a car. It requires a warm‑up before you use it at a fast speed. When you go out on a training run, start slowly for a few minutes before you go fast. When you go as fast as you can, it is called "sprinting". Sprinting is hard work, so start by doing it for short distances. Sprinting will make you short of breath. Although you will not sprint during the 10K River Run, doing some occasional sprinting during your running training will help you run a little faster. Your breathing will get easier over time. Be sure to slow down and jog or walk for a while after running or sprinting. This is an important part of running and is called the cool down. Cooling down helps keep your muscles from becoming stiff and sore for the next training session.
Running shoes are designed differently than other shoes. They provide cushioning, support, and flexibility, and they can help prevent injuries, especially for people who run frequently on hard surfaces. The more you run, the more important it is to have shoes designed for running. If you’re not able to get a pair of running shoes yet, though, a good pair of athletic shoes is acceptable. Most running specialty stores employ knowledgeable runners who may help you select a suitable shoe.
You should stretch only after a period of easy warm‑up walking, jogging, or any exercise. Stretch with gentle movements to increase flexibility.
Why Stretch?
1. To prevent muscle strain and injuries.
2. To make running easier by signaling your muscles that they are about to be used.
3. To help your coordination and increase the range of motion in your muscles.
4. To increase your blood circulation.
When to Stretch?
1. After an easy warm‑up.
2. When you feel stiff and sore (example: during a training run) .
3. After running or jogging.
How to Stretch
1. Stretch only until you feel your muscles and tendons tighten slightly.
2. Hold 10‑30 seconds.
3. No Bouncing!
4. Breathe slowly and rhythmically. Do not hold your breath while stretching. Silently count the seconds for each stretch.
How do you run? The way you run is what we call "running form." Good "running form" can make you a better runner. It can even make running easier! Here’s how to improve your "running form."
1. Shake your hands loose. This will relax your whole body and you'll be able to run easier. Don't grit your teeth or clench your fists when you run
2. Let your arms swing freely, forward and back, as you run. This will help you avoid wasting energy.
3. Run upright. Keep your head steady. Lean forward slightly but do not bend over as you run.
4. Run “softly.” Avoid slapping your feet against the ground. Run as if you are gliding on the surface of the earth.
Pacing means walking, jogging or running at an even speed so you don’t run out of energy. The best pace for you should be fast enough to make your breathing harder, yet not so speedy that you run out of breath and have to stop or get discouraged and quit.
Some children try to run with older brothers or sisters, or mom or dad, and get discouraged early because they can’t keep up. Find someone to train with who is your own speed. Someone who will stay with you if you get tired or decide to speed up. Remember some days you’ll feel like going fast and your training partner may want to go slow and need you to encourage him or her to finish or stay up.
Pacing is a lot like having a training buddy. You may need to hold back on long runs and not use all your energy up in the first mile. You may not get to run as fast as your older brother or sister or mom or dad at first, but as you get older and stronger, you may even pass them. Always determine how long you're going to run, or how fast you're going to run before you use all your energy up in the first few minutes. Finish what you start, run smart and don't give up.
Running up hills is hard, but an important part of training. The Elizabeth River Run has several hilly stretches over bridges and overpasses, but they are not exceptionally long or steep. It takes many more breaths and a lot more energy per step and strength which takes time and training to develop. As you begin to run uphill, remember these things:
1. Recognize that your form and breathing will change going uphill.
2. Pace yourself so you don't run out of steam before you reach the top.
3. Run over the top to recover on the next downhill or flat section. After a short recovery, you're off to run at your normal pace. Good luck on those hills in the River Run at about mile 1 (short and gradual), mile 4 (short and steeper), and mile 5 (short and very gradual).
People often ask whether they should breathe through their nose or their mouth when they're running. The answer is that they should breathe through their nose and mouth and, if possible, through their ears. When you exercise, you need all the air you can get! But, about the ears, we’re only joking, of course.
That doesn’t mean you should gasp or gulp air, though. Try to breathe deeply but smoothly. Keep your breathing relaxed.
Runners often get frightened when they experience a sharp pain in their side while running. This is called a "side stitch". Sometimes, a side stitch is the result of having food or liquid in the stomach. Other times, it seems to be related to breathing. If you feel a stitch coming on, keep your stomach relaxed by trying this trick: Pretend your stomach is a balloon, filling with air when you inhale, deflating when you exhale. (The air is really going into your lungs, not your stomach, but this trick seems to work anyway). It may help to massage the stitch at the same time, too. Hopefully, you will feel the stitch go away, and you can return to normal running. Good luck!
Your heart is located in the center of your chest. An adult's heart is a little larger than a fist with the other hand around it. The heart is an involuntary muscle. It works with the rest of the circulatory system to pump blood carrying oxygen and other nutrients throughout the body. The blood collects oxygen from the air sacs of the lungs.
The blood with oxygen is returned to the heart and is then pumped into arteries, which carry it throughout the body. As the oxygen‑rich blood flows through the tiny capillaries of the body, it collects the waste product carbon dioxide. The blood carries the carbon dioxide to the heart through the veins and then into the lungs, where the carbon dioxide is exhaled.
Regular physical activity is an important part of your overall health and your cardiovascular health in particular. Being physically fit helps fight off disease, improves the strength of your heart and efficiency of circulation, improves breathing, and enhances self‑image. It also aids posture, firms muscles and helps reduce fat. Aerobic exercise is any physical activity that conditions the heart and lungs, such as running, jumping rope, bicycling, or dancing. These activities involve the continuous use of the large muscles in the arms and legs. You can achieve maximum heart fitness by performing any vigorous activity for at least a total of 30 minutes a day at least 3‑4 time a week. Doing moderate physical activities for 30 minutes a day also provides some health benefits to your heart. It is important to include some physical activity as part of your daily routine.
The FIT Formula
F=Frequency (days per week)
I =Intensity (how hard: easy, moderate, or vigorous)
T=Time (amount for each session or day)
American Heart Association Heart Power!
One way to measure changes in cardiovascular fitness is to count your pulse rate (number of times your heart beats per minute) before, during and after a run, jog or walk. Aerobic exercise (jogging, swimming, bicycling) will increase your pulse rate. When you stop exercising, your pulse rate should return slowly to normal. This gradual return is called a resting pulse rate. The greater your level of fitness, the faster your pulse rate will return to normal.
You can take your pulse by placing the first two fingers of your right hand on the inner side of your left wrist (on your thumb side). You can feel an artery in your wrist give a little jump every time your heart beats. This is your pulse.
The number of times your artery pulses a minute is your PULSE RATE. Your pulse rate is the same as your heart rate.
Would you like to know how fast your heart beats when you exercise? First, take your pulse? Run around the playground, block or track once or twice. Take your pulse again. Count your pulse for ten seconds and multiply by six to get your pulse rate per minute. Notice how much faster your heart beats after you have been running! How many times a minute did your heart beat before you ran? How many times a minute afterwards?
Here are some safety tips you should use on race day at the Elizabeth River Run or any other fun run.
1. Arrive early and line up with your "same pace" group. Don't line up with a faster runner because he/she is your friend, older brother or sister, or an adult. You should have a predetermined race pace or training partner to run, jog, or walk with.
2. Plan a meeting place for after the race in case you get separated from your race partner.
3. Start slowly. Remember, it's a long way to the finish. Run at your “smart pace." Try to run, jog, or walk at the same pace from start to finish. If you walk, you will need to walk at a pace of at least 15 minutes per mile.
4. Drink a cup of two of water before the race, and take water at aid stations. Take several swallows. Pour some on your head if it’s a hot day. Try not to spill water on your shoes as wet socks and shoes may cause blisters.
5. Double tie shoes before the race.
6. Take only the clothes you intend to wear or carry with you. If it is cold, wear your warm clothes and place them on the bus to the finish line before the race.
7. If you stop during the race, move to the side of the road so as not to get run over by other runners.
8. When running, watch out for cars, curbs, uneven roadway, pot holes, etc.
9. Carry some form of identification. Name, address, telephone number, health concerns. Fill out the race number identification.
RUNNING VOCABULARY
AEROBIC RUNNING ‑ Running at a pace you can continue for many miles. Aerobic means "with oxygen." During aerobic running you are using and replacing oxygen in your body at a steady rate.
ANAEROBIC RUNNING - Running at a “sprinting” pace which will make you exhausted. This type of running uses up oxygen faster than your body can deliver it to your muscles, thus making you exhausted or “out of oxygen.”
CARBOS - Short for carbohydrates, the main fuel your body uses during exercise.
CARDIORESPIRATORY - “Cardio” means heart. “Respiratory” means lungs. Therefore, cardiorespiratory means heart and lungs.
ENDURANCE ‑ The ability of your body to train, walk, jog, run or exercise over time.
FLEXIBILITY ‑ Your ability to bend and move a full range of muscle groups.
HAMSTRING MUSCLES ‑ Muscles behind the leg from the knee to the gluteus maximus.
INTERVALS ‑ A method of training for endurance where you alternate a specific number of runs at a measured pace with rest periods (intervals) between.
JOGGING - Easy running at a comfortable “talk test” pace.
QUADRICEPS - Thigh muscles. Usually called “quads.”
RUNNING - Faster speed than jogging
STRETCHING - Relaxed movements that increase your muscle flexibility. A stretch should be held for 10-30 seconds. You should feel tension, not pain.
“TALK TEST” - A test to see if you can carry on a conversation while walking, jogging, or running. If so, you’re running at the right place to be FIT FOR THE RIVER RUN.